Professor Malcolm (Mac) Parks conducts research on interpersonal communication, health communication, and social networks in face-to-face, online, and organizational settings. His current projects include studies of impression formation and civic participation through online sites like Facebook, research on what people know about others’ social networks, and studies regarding how social networks might be utilized in health promotion programs aimed at reducing obesity and protecting against sexually transmitted infections. He teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in interpersonal communication, computer-mediated communication, communication networks, and social scientific research methods. He is also affiliated with the Health Marketing Research Center.

Prof. Parks serves on the editorial boards of the Journal of Communication, Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, and Communication Yearbook. His research has been supported by the Department of Communication Research Fund, the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control, the Army Research Organization, and the U.S. Air Force Office of Prevention and Health Services Assessment. Dr. Parks’ 2007 book Personal Relationships and Personal Networks received the Gerald R. Miller Book Award from the National Communication Association. He was also the recipient of the 1996 Charles H. Woolbert Award for disciplinary impact from the National Communication Association as well as the Hammer Award for organizational innovation from the Office of the Vice President of the United States.

Last revised 10/1/2009

Recent & Selected Publications

Parks, M.R. (in press). Boundary conditions for the application of three theories of computer-mediated communication to MySpace. Journal of Communication.

Parks, M.R., & Roberts, L.E. (1998). “Making MOOsic”: The development of personal relationships on-line and a comparison to their off-line counterparts. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 15(4), 517-537.